Clay is at the core of all of Virgil Ortiz’s creations. The Cochiti artist got his start in pottery, creating geometric, traditional Cochiti designs that are bold and graphic, yet classic. The designs translated perfectly onto fabrics and textiles. “I started sketching fabric prints in my teenage years, and my pottery designs came through by lending themselves to garments. After that, I tweaked and enhanced my pottery designs, knowing that they would be distributed on a larger scale, thus reaching an entirely new audience in the fashion world,” says Ortiz.
Translator Hoodie, VOltage streetwear Model: David Romero Photographer: Bryce Risley Styling: Virgil Ortiz
He describes his clothing designs as “avant-garde, art-inspired designs and elements that incorporate Indigenous peoples past, present and future—an infusion of fashion revolution and inspiration.” Recently, he launched VOltage, a sports and streetwear collection featuring vibrant colors and bold graphic designs.
Several design motifs come up frequently in Ortiz’s work. He describes his stylized turkey track “X” symbol: “This symbol is regarded as my personal insignia, but there’s a deeper, more enigmatic meaning too. In the Cochiti culture, these birds are known for moving around so energetically and unpredictably, they’re almost impossible to nab...The turkey track is a good luck symbol and an indicator to keep everyone guessing about my next creations.”
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“It is important to recognize that Pueblo communities are very much alive and have a level of vitality that speaks to generations of strength, persistence, brilliance and thriving energy.” —Virgil Ortiz
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